Venous compliance is lower in older adults compared to younger adults. It is possible that alterations in venous smooth muscle tone and responsiveness may contribute to the age-related differences in venous compliance. To determine the effects of sympathetic activation (cold pressor test; CP, rhythmic ischemic handgrip; HG) and endothelium independent decreases in smooth muscle tone (sublingual nitroglycerin; NTG) on venous compliance in young and older adults, forearm and calf venous compliance were measured in 12 young (22 ± 1) and 12 old (65 ± 1) supine subjects using venous occlusion plethysmography. Venous compliance was assessed at baseline, during the CP and HG tests, and following NTG administration. All P-V relationships were modeled with a quadratic regression equation and 1 and 2 were used as indices of venous compliance. A repeated measures ANOVA was used to determine the effect of the age and trial on venous compliance. Calf regression parameters, 1 (0.0639 ± 0.0126 vs. 0.0503 ± 0.0059, young vs. older, p < 0.05) and 2 (-0.00054 ± 0.00011 vs. -0.00041 ± 0.00005, young vs. older, p < 0.05) were significantly less in older adults at baseline. Similarly, forearm regression parameters, 1 and 2 were lower in older adults at baseline. Venous compliance was not effected by the CP test, HG or sublingual NTG in either group. Data suggest that forearm and calf venous compliance is lower in older adults compared to young. However, this difference probably cannot be explained by alterations in smooth muscle tone or responsiveness.